Art Council & Asafo Flags

This month I was also awarded a Developing Your Creative Practice grant from Arts Council England. I recieved the grant to use towards a project centred around Asafo flags: through out the project I aim to explore the stories and symbolism behind the characthers depicted on Asafo flags, as well as learn new applique skills, and collect reference material to inspire my ongoing creative practice.

The thing that I love most about Asafo Flags are the stories that they tell; the appliqued flags often depict ancient African folktales, with a thoughful moral behind each tale. Right now I am thinking of ways to convey the loose and intuitive style of the appliques within my own art.

The Asafo flags are regimental flags of the Fante people, an ethnic group that mainly resides in Ghana’s central coastal region. The flags are influenced by a combination of Akan proverbs, visual imagery, and European heraldic tradition. The designs are a reflection of the importance of proverbs throughout the Akan culture. A company’s flags are usually hung around the Posuban, a concrete shrine for each company that is colourfully decorated with bright figures and serves as a place for regalia and sacrifice. The flags are carried on a procession through the village, and are used at annual festivals, funerals for company members, and other occasions. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asafo_Flags

The video above explores and explains the history and traditions behind Asafo Flags